Japan Defense Minister basically confirms Japan's nuclear plants are part of Japan's unspoken nuclear deterrent ( they either have the bomb or have enough high grade weapon grade uranium or plutonium to build bombs quicker - technology to do so comes from the US of course. ) .....

http://fukushima-diary.com/2012/09/minister-of-defense-nuclear-plants-give-us-deterrent-force/#comment-343231

Minister of Defense “Nuclear plants give us deterrent force”

Posted by Mochizuki on September 5th, 2012 · 4 Comments

Japanese government considers owing nuclear plants gives them nuclear deterrent force.

Morimoto, minister of defense attended a conference of power companies and commented like this below,

「単にエネルギーの問題だけではない」「周りの国から見て非常に大事な抑止的機能を果たしている」

<Translate>
Having nuclear plants is not only the issue of power supply. It’s playing the significant role of deterrent force for neighbor countries.
<End>

He thinks keeping nuclear plants makes neighbor countries think about Japanese potential to own nuclear weapons, which is merit for Japanese national defense.

The comment above was made this January, before his inauguration.

For the interview of Kyodo, he talked “Now that I’m a member the government, I follow their three antinuclear principles. However, I want to realize my idea in the actual policy.”

Back in July, Japanese prime minister Noda stated he can’t stop nuclear plants because it’s connected to Japanese national security. (cf. Noda “Nuclear plant is for national security”)

and other Fukushima items , Japan radiation contamination news - September 5 , 2012